Just Another Day

Day 13: In Your Bag

Yesterday was my birthday. It was just another day. My stepfather used to say this all the time. We used to kid with him about it, but I now believe he was warning us. Birthdays have lost their appeal. Gone are the parties, the decorations, the cake and ice cream, the friends, the family and the presents. It's a travesty. Adult birthdays are so dull.

Mr. H tried to organize a birthday dinner for me this past weekend, only, there was no one to invite. Every year it saddens me when I realize that I have no real, quality friends anymore; a product of our nomadic ways, I'm sure. Yeah, I have work "friends", but our lives are so different outside of work, I couldn't imagine hanging out with any of them. I've tried to get involved in local Mommy groups, but they're not very working-mom friendly and have chosen to get together on the weekdays, when I'm working. I've tried to get involved with groups on Meetup, but I have yet to hear back from any of the groups I wanted to join.

Day 14: Something You're Reading

I spent my birthday at home with my Bug-a-bug. She (and I) was sick (and still is) with a pretty nasty cold so I kept her home from daycare. I'm sure daycare would have taken her, but all I could picture was my sweet girl, all alone, snot running down her face, sad and lonely and miserable and wanting her mommy. We've been cuddling a lot over these past couple of days.

We were going to go out for sushi for my birthday, but those plans were postponed. Mr. H picked up takeout from the Cheesecake Factory and a cute little cake from a local Swiss bakery. There were no candles. I recalled how last year's birthday was quite similar to this years. I was sick with a bad cold (and sick from pregnancy), we had to postpone our dinner plans (Russian food) and ordered delivery. We ate Italian and celebrated with cannolis. There were no candles then either.

Day 15: Happiness

I received a few gifts this year. Practical gifts. Mr. H, who lacks patience when it comes to gifting, gave me a gift card this past weekend. I used it to go buy some much needed clothes. On Monday he gave me the rest of my gifts, an attachment set for my Kitchenaid so that I can make Sweet A's baby food and a ring with A's birthstone surrounded by two of my birthstones. It was too big. And kind of gaudy. Plus, he already bought me an August birthstone ring that I love. It just needs to be fixed.

I've always hated having my birthday in January. It's such a blah month. The weather is disappointing and dreary and everyone is still suffering from the post-holiday hangover. Mr. H's birthday is in August. Recently we've been having some pretty good get-togethers for his birthdays. I remember when I turned 29, I told Mr. H he had exactly one year to plan a phenomenal 30th birthday party for me. He accepted the challenge. I should have known better. I did know better. I told him I wanted to go skiing in New York or Vermont. I wanted to rent a cabin for the weekend and invite all of my New York

Day 17: Water

friends and our family out with us. He had a year to plan it. He waited until a month or so before my big day to start planning. Nothing was available, no one could make it, and it was going to be too expensive. We ended up in West Virginia instead. Just the two of us on some way out there slopes. The conditions sucked. It was very warm and wet. There was no cake. No candles. No decorations.

Next year, next year, I want a party. A big party with guests and balloons and presents and a cake with candles. And I want to dress up. Why do birthdays have to be boring as adults? Why can't we still have the fun, over-the-top parties we used to have? Bring on the streamers and the party hats and the favors and the pizza. Heck, let's make it a themed party. You know what? I might even make it a sleepover. You're invited, of course.